Sea Sabres Scuba Club & Sabre Jet F86

Scuba Diving club, Southern California

F-86 SABRE JET

The plane that gave our club a name

This Plane had a such a high kill ration in Korea, that when an enemy plane was shot down they would say he had been 86’d

Another great image of the Sabre Jet fighter

First flown in 1947, more than 6,000 F-86s were manufactured by North American's Los Angeles and Columbus, & Ohio, divisions.

The first swept-wing airplane in the U.S. fighter inventory, the F-86 scored consistent victories over Russian-built MiG fighters during the Korean War, accounting for a final ratio of 10-to-1. All 39 United Nations jet aces won their laurels in Sabres.

Four models of the craft (F-86A, E, F and H) were day fighters or fighter bombers, while the F-86D, K and L versions were all-weather interceptors.

Successive models of the daylight versions--all designed to destroy hostile aircraft in flight or on the ground--were equipped with more powerful engines and armament systems that ranged from bombs and rockets to machine guns and cannon. All are rated in the 650 mph class with a 600-mile combat radius and a service ceiling of over 45,000 feet.

The three interceptor versions sported black radome noses, replacing the yawning jet intakes of the other models. The K model, manufactured in Turin, Italy, by Fiat, was flown by NATO forces. The F-86L had added equipment for use in conjunction with the U.S. SAGE (semi-automatic ground environment) defense system.

Forerunner of the operational Sabre was the XF-86, first flown Oct. 1, 1947, by North American test pilot George Welch. A few months later Welch became the first pilot to fly the plane at Mach 1 (the speed of sound) in routine flight. Although technically rated as subsonic, the Sabre is no stranger to supersonic speeds.

Various models of the Sabre held world's speed records for six consecutive years, setting five official records and winning several National Aircraft Show Bendix Trophies.

In September 1948, an F-86A set the Sabre's first official world speed record of 570 mph. This mark was bettered in 1952 by an F-86D that flew at 698 mph. The "D" became the first model of a fighter to better its own record, in 1953, with a run of 715 mph.

As a day fighter, the airplane saw service in Korea in three successive series (F-86A, E, and F) where it engaged the Russian-built MiG-15. By the end of hostilities, it had shot down 792 MiGs at a loss of only 76 Sabres, a victory ratio of 10 to 1. Have you ever heard the term “your 86’d” Well this is were it came from. Our kill ratio was so high that when a Mig was brought down, it was said that he had been 86’d .

Because the MiG-15 was lighter than an F-86 it could climb a little faster. While its forward speed during the climb wasn’t quite as great as an F-86, it could still climb at a higher angle of attack, and so, it appeared to us that the MiG could really climb. And, because of its lightness, the MiG-15 could reach a higher altitude than the F-86, high enough so that we couldn’t reach them, up above 45,000 feet.

The F-86E and subsequent models incorporated a unique control system, developed by North American, called the "all-flying tail." Where the F-86A contained a booster control system that called for the pilot to do part of the work of ontrolling the aircraft, the newer system added full- power operated control for better maneuverability at high speeds. An "artificial feel" was built into the aircraft's controls to give the pilot forces on the stick that were still conventional, but light enough for superior combat control.

U.S. production of the Sabre Jet ended in December 1956.

SPECIFICATIONS

Span: 37 ft. 1 in.

Length: 37 ft. 6 in.

Height: 14 ft. 8 in.

Weight: 13,791 lbs. loaded

Armament: six .50-cal. machine guns and eight 5 in. rockets or 2,000 lbs. of bombs

Engine: General Electric J-47 of 5,200 lbs. thrust

PERFORMANCE

Maximum speed: 685 mph.

Cruising speed: 540 mph.

Range: 1,200 miles